Geoff Charles: [Olwen Caradoc Evans, owner of Tu-Hwnt-i’r-Bont cafe in Llanrwst], 1959. Source: Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru/National Library of Wales.

Geoff Charles, [Children in the waiting room of the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals at Swansea], 1951. Source: Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru/National Library of Wales.

[Coal is in short supply], cartoon by Leslie Gilbert Illingworth, 1941. Source: Cartoon Collection, Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru/National Library of Wales.

A soldier sleeps and a woman is frying sausages over a candle. There are coal coupons in an unlit fireplace.

oldandwelsh:

[Image of Bettws Gwerfil Goch Mill showing Harry Edwards, the miller, at his work accompanied by his cat.] Geoff Charles, 1957. Source: Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru/National Library of Wales.

oldandwelsh:

Photograph by John Thomas, 1875. Source: Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru/National Library of Wales, via Casgliad y Werin Cymru/People’s Collection Wales.

So you’ll have to use your imagination for the cats here, who must be waiting patiently for their milk off-camera.

In case you’re interested in historical/vintage and not just cats, I’ve started another Tumblr, where I’m parking my things old and Welsh. Many dog and fox and animal pictures queued up over there, I promise: http://oldandwelsh.tumblr.com.

oldandwelsh:

Twins from Llandderfel who milk their cow everyday to get milk for their cats by LlGC ~ NLW on Flickr.

Geoff Charles, 1959.

Page from the Black Book of Carmarthen, one of the earliest surviving manuscripts written entirely in the Welsh language (13th century). Source: Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru / National Library of Wales.

The manuscript mentions a mythic cat, Cath Palug (“Palug’s cat,” or, possibly, “clawing cat”), that roamed the Isle of Anglesey. Fun cat: Big cat sightings are a continuing source of mystery in Welsh and British history.

Geoff Charles, “In search of the Welsh language in Ebbw Vale: Dewi and Olwen Samuel with Shan the cat,” 1956. (Source: Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru / The National Library of Wales, on Flickr.)

Photo-archivist’s note: “Image taken on a visit by Geoff Charles and John Aelod Jones to Ebbw Vale to see how such an anglicised area would react to the National Eisteddfod, during which they met many local residents, including Mr and Mrs Samuel, who are both teachers and both Welsh-speakers with Shan the cat.”

Geoff Charles (1909-2002), ”Anne Adams, Newtown, with a sick swan,” 1953. 

(Source: Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru / The National Library of Wales.)